Turmeric & Rose Water Lassi

No art ever came out of not risking your neck. And risk – experiment – is a considerable part of the joy of doing, which is the lone, simple reason all [writers] are willing to work as hard as they do. The open mind and the receptive heart – which are at last and with fortune’s smile the informed mind and the experienced heart – are to be gained anywhere, any time, without necessarily moving an inch from any present address. – Eudora Welty, On Writing

Do you ever have one of those days where you feel unsettled? For no apparent reason, you feel like you may burst into tears at the drop of a pin. You question your actions, your motivations, your commitments. You compare yourself to others, and find yourself wanting.

I hope I’m not the only one who has these days.

But on days like this, I find myself giving more attention to my own well-being. To wellness, in terms of body mind, and spirit. Where am I lacking, and where can I improve?

This weekend, it was sleep, and the recognition that despite my best attempts to be superwoman, I am not – I am an imperfect human, like the rest of us, and I need moments of “laziness”, moments of rest. (I am trying to learn that to rest is not to be lazy, but rather part and parcel of what enables the best of us to keep going, to stay at our best).

One of the most wonderful things about the blog world is that for all of the perfect beauty put on display, for all of the “pinterest-worthy” images and recipes, there are voices who remind me that perfection is not the point.

There’s Shanna, who not only gives us the beautiful recap post about her trip to Maine, but also the behind-the-scenes story of the flawed, the imperfect, the real.

There’s Shauna, who reminds us to focus on the joy of writing, the pleasures of eating with our families, to recognize the beauty around us – notto angst about perfect photos, site traffic, and the like.

And there’s Anna, on her adventure to create a cookbook, who teaches us that when we risk failure, we open ourselves to learning and creativity. So let’s be our honest, authentic, imperfect selves and learn something along the way.

Thank you to these women for reminding me of the truth I know in my heart. Thank you for putting your words out there in the world for me to read. Thank you for being my teachers.

Speaking of wellness, turmeric has all sorts of wonderful health benefits, notably its anti-inflammatory properties. I love its vibrant yellow color and distinctive taste, somewhere between sweet and spicy. When one of my favorite market vendors was selling fresh turmeric root, I couldn’t resist the urge to buy a few, and a lassi seemed the perfect way to use it. If you can’t find fresh, dried will do just fine in this recipe.

Welcome to The Next Course!

Welcome! This blog is an ongoing project where I explore the creative yearnings of my soul. It has evolved from a food blog with my sister; to a project to explore the role of cooking in my own life and the role of food blogs in our culture; to a space where I am able to reflect on creative and spiritual practices, and what it means to live well. Read more about my story on the About page.